Some Stories Never End
by NeverEnding08
Summary: 5 years after returning from the Spirit World, Chihiro is still waiting to see Kohaku again. Strange things are happening around her. Is this somehow connected to her previous encounters with spirits?


"Now go, and don't look back."

"Will I ever see you again?"

"Of course"

"Promise?"

"I promise, now go" said Kohaku, letting go of her hand. Chihiro ran.

5 Years Later

She opened her eyes and sat up. Sunlight was pouring through her window.

'The same dream again?' she thought to herself.

She groaned and rolled out of bed. When she put her feet on the floor she scowled at the pile of clothes and other miscellaneous stuff there. In fact, her whole room had become a giant compost heap. Suddenly she heard her mom's voice in her head as she remembered her telling her to clean up her pig sty. She waded through all the junk on her floor over to her dresser. Still grumbling over her slobby room she pulled open the bottom drawer and grabbed the top pair of pants. She gasped and dropped the jeans she was holding as she reached to close the drawer. It was her old shirt, old and familiar with its big, green stripe across the middle. And her pink shorts as well.

'Wow' she thought 'haven't seen these in a while'.

She pulled out the memory-filled outfit.

As she held them, memories of her adventure in the spirit world came flooding back. The bathhouse, Yu-baaba, Granny, Lin….. Kohaku…..

After she returned from the spirit world, she toyed with the thought that it was all a dream. That she had imagined it all. But it was quickly dismissed. She knew it couldn't have been. She knew it happened. And she still believed to this very day that Kohaku would keep his promise, and they would see each other again.

But they hadn't.

'Maybe he won't' she thought silently to herself, 'maybe he lied. Perhaps he's forgotten all about me.'

She stared sadly at her clothes. Suddenly a stern look came over her face. She gripped her clothes tightly.

"Enough!" she told herself out loud.

'What good will it do me to worry about it' she thought.

She turned her head when she heard a knocking at the door.

"Chihiro?" her mom called out as she opened her door. "Honey? Oh good, you're already awake. Listen honey, your Dad and I are going out today. We have some errands to run in town. Will you be ok on your own today?"

Chihiro nodded.

'Oh good' she thought, 'then maybe I won't have to…'

"And make sure you clean your room today. I want it spotless by the time we get back", her mom added as she walked down the hall towards the door.

'Darn!' she thought as she walked out of her room to the front door. Her parents were already making their way to the car.

"Have a good day sweetie. Be good. Stay out of trouble", they called out as they got in the car. Chihiro waved goodbye tot hem as they drove away. She stood in the doorway watching the car disappear down the street. The wind was blowing softly. Blowing from the direction of the woods passed their yard. She turned and stared at it, watching the trees blow restlessly, almost whispering to her. The shadows cast from them danced on the grass. She listened as the wind made a sound remarkably similar to her name.

_"Chihiiiiiiirrrroooooo……"_

She stood there, almost shivering with foreboding.

'Why is it calling out my name?' she thought.

She looked down and realized she was still holding her old clothes. She hugged them to her chest and ran quickly back inside the house. She ran back to her room and closed the door behind her. Learning back on the door she slid down till she was sitting, still hugging her clothes. She buried her face in her knees. She remembered this feeling. All of a sudden she felt like she had when she was first stuck in the spirit world, the feeling of inescapable loneliness and helplessness in the pit of her stomach. She buried her face further into her knees and swallowed hard. All of a sudden she saw his face in her mind.

'What is this feeling?' she thought, 'Why do I feel this way?' "Kohaku?" she called out weakly.

The feeling left as soon as it came. She sat up and took deep breath. Yes, the feeling was definitely drifting away. Almost like a breeze. It was gone. That horrible feeling in her gut was gone. She let the image linger in her mind however, before banishing it quickly.

'That was weird' she thought as she stood up. She walked over to her dresser and once more opened the bottom drawer. She folded the shirt and shorts neatly and placed them back inside. She sighed as she closed the door.

"Right then" she stated out loud in a forced voice of optimism looking around her room.

"Better get to work."


End file.
